Buttonhole-stitching machine.



F. A. READ.

BUTTONHOLE STITCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED mus. 191a.

1, 177,964. Patented Apr. 4,1916.

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BUTTONHOLE STITCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5| 1913.

1,177,964. Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

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F. A. READ.

BUTTONHOLE STITCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5. 1913.

1,177,964. Patented Apr. 4,1916.

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- F (SQ- K m @h /l FRED A. READ, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS,

ASS-IGNOR TO THE REECE BUTTON HOLE MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

BUTTONHOLE-STITCH ING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

Application filed May 5, 1913. Serial No. 765,467.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED A. READ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buttonhole-Stitching Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to buttonhole stitching machines, by which is meant machines adapted to produce buttonhole stitching or adapted to do over-seaming whether in connection with the making of buttonholes or otherwise.

The present invention while it might be ap lied to many various tvpes of buttonholing or over-seaming machines is, for convenience, herein particularly shown in connection with that type of machine which is known to the trade as the Reece buttonhole machine. In this tvpe of machine, a stitch frame carrying the stitch-forming mechanism on the one hand. and a work clamp or support on the other hand are relatively movable so as to enable the stitching to be carried along the sides of a buttonhole and around its end or ends. Such stitchforming mechanism usually comprises an eve-pointed needle carrying the upper thread and. below and opposed thereto the so-called under-sewing mechanism which carries and operates an under thread in cooperation with the needle carrying the upper thread. For convenience, reference may be made to the prior Patent 695,039, of March 11, 1902, which refers to a machine for doing the same class of work as the invention hereof and which to some extent afi'ords an illustration of mechanisms or details which may be omitted herefrom as unnecessary to disclose the present invention.

One of the main objects of the present in: vention is to dispense with the objections inherent in the employment, in the type of machine referred to, of an under thread carrier, or needle as it may conveniently be termed. which has the curved form of the arc of a circle. That form of under needle is objectionable not only because of its difficnlty of manufacture, but also the liability to bending or breakage, the difficulty of adjustment into proper working position, and

the inaccuracies due to any deformation or wrong adjustment of the needle.

Still other objections are well understood by those skilled in the manufacture and use of button hole stitching machines.

- Another object hereof is to enable the substitution for the objectionable curved under needle of a straight under needle which is made to so coii-perate as to secure a more advantageous stitching action while retaining all of the known benefits of the older form of apparatus.

Other objects and advantages hereof will be made to appear in the hereinafter following description or will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

To the attainment of the above referred to objects and advantages the present invention consists in the novel constructions, combinations, devices, parts, mode of operation and other features herein illustrated or described.

First will be described one form of apparatus selected for convenience as illustrating the principles of the present invention, and thereafter, the novel features will be set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, Figure 1 is what may be considered a right-hand partial elevation of a buttonhole stitching machine ofthe type hereinbefore referred to and embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 shows in elevation, detached from the other parts, the under-sewing mechanism in what may be termed a rear view. Fig. 3 is a left-hand elevation of the under-sewing mechanism seen in Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is, like Fig. 1, a right-hand elevation but only of the undersewing mechanism detached. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the machine as it would be seen looking from the left-hand side of Fig. 1, certain parts being broken away and others shown in section for better disclosure of the interior. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the under-sewing mechanism of Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Figs. 1 to 6 above referred to, correspond generally with the similarly numbered figures in the aforesaid prior Patent (395,039. Fig. 7 shows a detail taken in cross-section upon the plane 7, 7 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 shows another detail in similar section upon the plane 8, 8 of Fig. 5. Figs. 9,

10, 11 and 12, respectively, are more or less diagrammatic fro'nt views showing the relative positions of the needles and the position of the under needle carrying parts in four successive stages of operation of the mechanism.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Certain parts are shown and may all be as illustrated in said prior Patent 695.039 requiring, therefore, no detailed or other description than as follows. The clamp frame 1, the casing 2 containing the needle bar 3, it carrying an eye-pointed needles for manipulating the upper thread, said needle bar and its casing being in practice mounted in the stitch frame already referred to but not herein shown, the curb or cam casing 5 in practice secured to the movable stitch frame so as to travel with it under the clamp frame, said casing 5 having suitable adjustable headed bolts 6 which bear against smooth ways 7 at the under side of the clamp frame, the rod 8 deriving its motion from a cam in the stitch frame, the cutter 9 and its carrying lever 10, the extension 13 on which the under needle fittings are mounted, the oscillating block 14, said block having the circular upper end 15 adapting it to receive at suitable times a circular movement, the gear 16 fast on a sleeve 17 extending from block 14, the tension device 18 for the under thread, the lcoper 19 and the throat plate 20; also the circular ring-like portion 21 of the casing 5, which receives within it the circular upper end 15 of the block 14, and depending from said ring 21 a loop 22 having formed through it centrally at its lower end an opening of such size as to loosely receive hollow hub 23 of gear 16, the gear being applied to the sleeve 17 and fixed there by a suitable nut 2-1 are all well known parts. The sleeve 17 has extended through it the hollow rod or bar 25, said rod receiving through the opening in its lower end the second or underneath thread, such thread being passed upwardlv through the rod 25 and into an under thread carrier. The thread may pass out of the hollow rod 25 through an aperture 26, passing about the tension device 18 before passing to the under thread needle. The rod 25 has fixed to it below the gear 16 a ball or enlargement 27, it being as herein shown embraced between two loose cup-shaped disks 28 and 29, both loosely surrounding the rod 25 and contacting the ball 27. said disks being borne respectively upon the two forks 30, 31 of a lever 32 pivoted at 33 between two depending curved hangers 34, 31, these hangers being connected in a suitable manner as by screws 35, with the loop-shaped depending portion 22 above referred to.

alternately at both The lever 32 is connected withthe rod 8, as shown, so that the cam operated movement of the rod causes the oscillation of the lever 32 and thereby reciprocates upwardly and downwardly the hollow rod or bar 25.

In continuing the description of the machine illustrated in the drawings hereof, reference will be made to the new parts supplied and to the new arrangements and combinations of parts, during which reference will necessarily be made to parts which per se are not new herein but are for the first time employed in the novel inter-relations and arrangements which are sought to be covered.

The oscillatory block 14, which may take any physical form, shall be termed the stock, as it is merely a carriage or frame for supporting the various workingparts of the under stitching mechanism. It shifts bodily, for example circularly, with all the working parts supported by it, and these parts themselves move, as may be required for stitching, more or less independently of the stocks shifting.

There will now be described the novel under needle 40 and its carrier 41 which are mounted upon stock 14. A feature of this under needle is that its form is at substantial variance with its path of movement; it is not a straight needle moving in a straight path nor an are shaped needle oscillating about the center of its own curative. On the contrary it is shown as a straight needle reciprocated from one side to the other of the work in a decidedlv curved movement. In the present buttonhole stitching machine, of two oppositely-disposed cooperating stitch-forming needles at least one, for example, the under needle, is a straight eye-pointed needle actuated to reciprocate from one side to the other of the work in a curved movement. This curvedmoving straight needle will for convenience be termed the under needle, although of course such terms are used only relatively. The cooperation of the two needles is such as to interlock their respective threads sides of the work and preferably there is a direct cooperation above the work, that is to say, the under needle presents its thread loop to the upper needle without the interposition of a looper. Below the work a looper is shown. In its oscillation the under needles movement is preferably constantly substantially lengthwise of the needle; and its movement is effected in such manner that the under needle always intersects the plane of the work at a single given point. Both needles are of the eve-pointed type. At least one of the needles, for example, the upper needle. actually pierces or forces its way through the work while the other needle may merely pass the plane of the work by skirting its edge or penetrating its aperture or slit therein; although this arrangement might be reversed, and the machine would operate with both needles piercing the work.

Having thus stated some of the characteristics of the needle operation, the fittings will be more particularly described.

The straight under needle 40 is detachably secured to its carrier or needle arm 41 m' any desired manner. For example, a removable angle plate 42 is shown at the needle end of the needle arm, its end flange having'a set screw 43 by which the needle is clamped. Y

The needle carrier or arm 41 might take different physical shapes and might extend in various directions from the needle, but is shown as extending generally horizontally while the needle stands in vertical position. The fittings of the needle arm cannot consist of a simple pivot, as the resulting circular needle movement would not fulfil the requirements above outlined; therefore, a cer tain mechanical motion is provided for effecting the specified under needle movements. The arm is shown as having devices at two points on its length connecting it to the stock 14 or rather the upstanding extension 13 thereof. Both are in the nature of guides or movable pivots by which a definite control of the arms movement is secured. For example, the outer end of the arm opposite the needle end may have an enlargement 44 so as to enable a sliding pivot connection to the extension 13. VVit'hin a slot 45 is engaged a square pivot block 46. The construction is best. seen in Fig. 9 and in cross-section in Fig; 8. The block 46 is centrally bored to receive. a pivot member 47 secured to the extension 13. In order to permit a slight adjustment of the blocks position,- the pivot member 47 is shown as having eccentrically disposed within it a pin or screw 48 which may be loosened for adjustment and then tightened to lock the pivot member 47 to the extension 13 in adjusted position.

In its up and down movements the needle arm 41 bears against the fiat front surface of the extension 13, and to better keep it in position an overhanging bridge plate 49 may be provided. The arms up and down movements maybe effected through an adjustable link 50 pivoted at 51 to the arm 41 and extending downwardly. to where it is pivoted to the outer swinging end of an oscillating lever 52 which is driven from the vertically reciprocating actuator or rod 25 by means of a short link 53, the latter pivoted directly to the lever 52 and to a stud extending forwardly from the actuator 25. The length of link 50 is adjustable by a right and left screw 54, as shown in detail in Fig. 7. The link is preferably connected by universal joints or bearings at both its upper of these connections and lower ends so as to allow for the lateral play necessitated by the fact that,

while the actuator 25 reciprocates vertically, the under needle and arm oscillate in a slightly inclined plane, as clearly seen in-Fig. 4. Adjustment of the movement of the needle arm is permitted by shifting the lower pivotal connection of link 50 along the transverse slot shown at 54 at the swinging end of lever 52. The rapid up and down-movements of the actuator 25 thus effect the reciprocations of the needle arm and under needle.

Coming back to the guidance of the needle arm in its movements, there is shown at the needle'end of the arm a curved or cam surface 56; formed in the extension 13 and opposed to it a similar cooperating surface 57, the two affording between them a cam slot or groove 58 which is engaged by a rearwardly projecting stud 59 carriedby the needle arm 41.

The exact movements of the needle depend upon the shape and arrangement of the slots 45 and 58 at the right and left ends of the needle arm, respectively. They have been carefully calculated. as illustrated herein. to give the oscillating under needle movements described. lVhile the needle arm extends substantially at right angles to the needle,

it will be seen that the slot 45 is offset from the body of the needle arm and extends in a direction intersecting the needle at a point above the needles connection to the arm. The slot 58 will be seen to have a curved form which is not concentric with the pivot block 46 and which is not even the true arc of a circle. 7

These described fittings give substantially the following operations. The under needle being in its lowest position, in Figs. 5 and 9, commences to rise and stands in a practically vertical position while entering the throat plate 20 and while passing the plane of the work or penetrating the slit therein. Fig. 10 shows the under needle partly elevated, while-Fig. 11 shows it completely elevated, it being noticed that the needle i11- tersects the plane of the work at only one single point throughout its movement. In the position of Fig. 11 the under needle has while moving lengthwise become so inclined in its oscillation as to stand partly beneath the upperneedle; the under needle then coinmences its descent over the same path. As soon as its descent commences its thread loop is opened and the upper needle in its descent immediately enters this thread loop. The upper needle passes downwardly piercing the fabric as shown in Fig. 12., after ginning of the ascent of the latter, and a looper for this purpose will be hereinafter described.

The fittings for securing the desired movements of the straight under needle in cooperation with the upper needle may obviously be indefinitely varied.

While no looper is required above the work and that which is shown beneath the work might be dispensed with, there is for convenience illustrated an appropriatelooper 19 beneath the work. This may have a compound movement generally analogous to that of ,the looper 19 of the aforesaid prior Patent 695,039, although calculated to cooperate with the straight under needle. It is shown fitted for bodily oscillating lengthwise of itself and for swinging slightly at its operative end laterally to its length. Its action will preferably be to move leftwise, in Fig. 5, while the upper needle is below the work so as to pass between the needle and the upper thread thus taking a loop which it slightly opens or spreads and car ries leftwise beyond the path of the under needle, then swinging forward slightly to bring its loop in the path of the under needle which on the following ascent enters the loop, the looper finally withdrawing to the right thus disengaging itself from the loop and taking a proper position to repeat operations.

The train of mechanism for longitudinally bodily oscillating the looper 19 and its carrier 60 comprises the cam lever 61 driven by pin 62 at the upper end of the actuator 25. The looper carrier and cam lever are connected by a swivel shaft 63 that permits the lateral swinging movement. The train of mechanism for causing such lateral movement comprises a rearwardly extending pin 64, Fig. 3, which runs along a curved rock arm 65, Figs. 2 and 3, that is carried at the top end of a rock shaft 66 which has a stud and roller 67 at its lower end acted upon by the inclined surfaces of cam arm 68 which is pivoted to the stock 14 at 69 and is actuated to swing upwardly and downwardly through a block 70 centrally engaged by a stud 71 which is secured at its inner end to the actuator 25; and the block and stud 70, 71 may have eccentric adjustability as indicated. A spring 72 is shown tending to hold the pin 64 in contact with the rock arm 65. By these mechanisms the looper 19 is made to properly cooperate with the needles in producing the buttonhole stitch.

Appropriate tensions and takeups for both the upper and lower threads will be provided, and their regulation serves to position the purl at the edge of the fabric as desired. The following is the course of the under thread: From aperture 26 in the actuator or rod 25 the thread passes to the tension 18 and thence to the eye 73 at the upper end of the takeup lever 74. Thence the thread passes to a relatively fixed thread guide 75 which is slightly above the takeup lever, and thence upwardly to another fixed thread guide 76, Fig. 3, whence it passes directly to the eye near the point of'the under needle 40. The takeup is operated by swinging from and toward the axis of the stock. A spring 77 constantly tends to force the lever 74 inwardly, and its outward movements are effected by a. cam surface 78 formed upon the same lever 52 which is employed for reciprocating the under needle carrier. In this way, the usual up and down movements of the actuator cause the desired to and fro movements of the takeup.

It will be seen that the novel mechanisms hereof, particularly in regard to the straight under-needle and its fittings, render the present invention peculiarly adaptable to the stitching or overseaming of the edges of slits or other holes, notably buttonholes, in the work or fabric. The mechanisms, moreover, are of such a nature and so compact as to well adapt them for use in the type of buttonhole making machine in which the under-sewing mechanism is carried upon a bodily shifting or oscillating stock. Although the present invention has broad capabilities, its present embodiment relates to and constitutes an important improvement upon the type of overseaming machine in which but tonholes are stitched and in which the undersewing mechanism is carried upon an oscillating stock.

The operation hereof will be sufliciently understood from the above description, but it may be briefly restated as follows: The straight under needle in lowest position is ready to ascend and enter the work substantially vertically or normally to the plane of the work; in ascending it enters the loop of upper thread held by the looper and thereafter the under needle ascends through the work and inclines so as to stand under the upper needle, it however always intersecting the plane of the work at the single point or position where it enters, that is to say, at the location of the slit. A slight return movement of the under needle opens this loop which the upper needle in descending thereupon enters, the upper needle piercing the work adjacent to its edge and remaining below the work sufficiently long for the looper to take a loop afterward to be presented to the under needle. This operation continues while the work is fed forward step by step and may also be continued around the eye of a buttonhole through the shifting of the stock so that the slit can be properly overseamed around its entire edge.

It will thus be seen that I have described a buttonhile stitching machine according to the principles referred to and attaining the objects and advantages recited. Since many details and other features may be variously modified without departing from the general principles, I do not wish to be restricted to features or details except as set forth in the claims appended hereto.

\Vhat I claim is:

l. A two-thread buttonhole stitching machine including in combination, a work support, an upper needle, mechanism for reciprocating the upper needle to penetrate the work and return, an under needle having a form non-coincident with its path of movement, and mechanism for actuating said under needle to reciprocate lengthwise of itself with a curved movement from one side to the other of the work, so as to cooperate directly with the upper needle for the interlocking of loops above the work, a bodily movable stock carrying said under needle and its actuating .mechanism, and means for shifting the stock during stitch- A two-thread buttonhole stitching machine including in combination, a work support, an upper needle, mechanism for reciprocating the upper needle ,to penetrate the work and return, an under needle having a form non-coincident with its path of movement, and mechanism for actuating said under needle to reciprocate lengthwise of itself with a curved movement from one side to the other of the work, so as to cooperate directly with the upper needle for the interlocking of and in such manner that it always intersects the plane of the work at a single given point, a bodily movable stock carrying said under needle and its actuating mechanism, and means for shifting the stock during stitching.

3. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination a support for supporting above it'the work to be stitched, an eye-pointed work-penetrating straight upper needle, an upper needle carrler reciprocable substantially normally to the work, an eye-pointed straight under needle, an underneedle carrier, and fittings and means for oscillating the under needle carrierto cause the straight under needle to oscillate with a curved movement so that it is substantially normal to the work when its point passes the plane of the work, and so that it stands inclined when at its highest position, and so that the descending upper needle may enter its loop while above the work, together with a looper below the work for entering and holding a loop on the upper needle for the under needle to enter before the latter rises above the work, a bodily movable stock carrying said under needle and its actuating mechanism, and means for shifting the stock during stitching.

4. A machine for stitching around the loops above the work,

edges of holes or slits in fabric, including in combination, a work support, a reciproeating eye-pointed upper needle fitted for piercing the work, a shiftable stock beneath the work support, means for shifting said stock as the stitching proceeds around the slit, and the following elements carriedby said stock, namely: a straight eye-pointed under needle for penetrating the hole or slit in the work, and means for actuating said under needle to reciprocate between one side and the other of the work in a substantially curved movement, whereby the threads are interlocked alternately above and below the work.

5. A machine for stltching around the edges of holes or slits in fabric, including in combination, a work support, a reciprocating eye-pointed upper needle fitted for piercing the work, a shiftable stock beneath the work support, means for shifting saidstcck as the stitching proceeds around the slit, and the following elements carried by said stock, namely: a straight eye-pointed under needle forpenetrating the hole or slit inthe work, an under needle carrier, means for actuating said carrier to reciprocate the needle from one side to the other of the work, and fittings for said carrier such that the under needles movement is substantially lengthwise of the needle and in a substantial curve such that the needle enters the work slit in a substantially normal direction and thereafter intersects the work plane only at the location of the slit, and above the work cooperates with the upper needle to permit the latter to receive a loop of under thread.

6. A machine for stitching around the edges of holes or slits in fabric, including in combination, a work support, a reciproeating eye-pointed upper needle fitted for piercing the work, a shiftable stock beneath the work support, means for shifting said stock as the stitching proceeds around the slit, and the following elements carried by said stock, namely: a straight eye-pointed under needle for penetrating the hole or slit in the work, an under needle carrier, means for actuating said carrier to reciprocate the needle from one side to the other of the work for transferring a loop of upper thread to the under needle.

7. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combinatlon, a straight shanked under needle, a carrier therefor having an outer end and carrying said needle at its opposite end, a device for guiding the needle end of the carrier in up and down movements, and a shifting-pivot connection for the outer end of said carrier, said device consisting of a cam and follower substantially as described.

8. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination, an under needle, a carrier therefor having an outer end and carrying said needle at its opposite end, a device for guiding the needle end of the carrier in up and down movements, and a shifting pivot connection for the outer end of said carrier, said device consisting of a cam and follower substantially as described, and said connection comprising a relatively fixed pivot slidably engaging said carrier.

9'. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination, an under needle, a carrier therefor having an offset slide at its outer end and carrying said needle 'at its opposite end, a device for guiding the needle end of the carrier in up and down movements, and a shifting-pivot connection for the outer end of said carrier, said connection comprising a relatively fixed pivot engaging said ofiset slide of saidcarrier.

10. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination, an under needle, a carrier therefor having an outer end and carrying said needle at its opposite end, a' device for guiding the needle end of the carrier in up and down movements, and a shifting-pivot connection for the outer end of said carrier, and means for relatively adjusting said carrier in relation to said pivot.

11. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination, an upper needle, a straight under needle substantially upright in lowered position, a needle carrying arm substantially horizontal in lowered position, means for connecting the needle to the arm, means formoving the arm up and down, and fittings for said arm for causing the needle to move in a curved path from one side of the work to the other and in such manner that the straight under needle always intersects the work plane at a single point.-

12. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination. an upper needle, a straight under needle substantially upright in lowered position, a needle carrying arm substantially horizontal in lowered position, means for connecting the needle to the arm, means for moving the arm up and down, and fittings for said arm for causing the needle to move in a curved path from one side of the work to the other, said fittings comprising a shifting-pivot connection for the end of the arm opposite the needle, and a device for causing the arm to simultaneouslv shift and swing about said pivot connection.

13. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination, an upper needle, a straight under needle substantially upright in lowered position, a needle carrying arm substantiallyhorizontal in lowered position, means for connecting the needle to the arm, means for moving the arm up and down, and fittings for said arm for causing the needle to move in a curved path from one side of the work to the other, said fittings comprising a shifting-pivot connection for the end of the arm opposite the needle, and a cam and follower for guiding the needle end of said arm.

ll. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination, an upper needle, a work support, a shiftable stock below the work support, and the following, carried by said stock, namely an actuator operable in different positions of said stock, astraight under needle substantially upright in lowered position, a needle carrying arm substantially horizontal in lowered position, means for connecting the needle to the arm, means actuated from the actuator for moving the .arm up and down, and fittings for said arm for causing the needle to move in a curved path from one side of the work to the other.

15. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination, an upper needle, a work support, a shiftable stock below the work support, and the following, carried by said stock, namely: an actuator operable in dilferent positions of, said stock, a

straight under needle substantially upright in lowered position, a needle carrying arm substantially horizontal in lowered position, means for connecting the needle to the arm, means actuated from the actuator for moving the arm up and down, and fittings for said arm for causing the needle to move in a cnrvedpath from one side of the work to the other, said fittings comprising a shifting-pivot connection for the outer end of the arm. and a device for causing the arm to simultaneously shift and swing about said pivot connection.

16. A two-thread buttonhole stitching machine including in combination, a work holder; a stitching mechanism comprising' oppositely-disposed eve-pointed upper and lower stitch-forming needles, each carrying a separate thread, and said under needle being absolutely straight from butt to point and fitted and actuated to reciprocate lengthwise from one side to the other of the work in a curved movement such .as to bring the under-needle into a sufficiently inclined position so as to cooperate above the work directly with the upper needle for there interlocking the two threads; and means for relatively swinging said work holder and stitching mechanism as the stitching of the buttonhole proceeds.

17. A two-thread buttonhole stitching machine including in combination, oppositely-disposed eye-pointed upper and lower stitch-forming needles, each carrying a separate thread, and said under needle being absolutely straight from butt to point and fitted and actuated to reciprocate lengthwise from one side to the other of the work in a curved movement, so as to cooperate above the work directly with the upper needle for there interlocking the two threads, and a movable looper cooperating with both needles below the work to cause the engagement of the two threads.

18. A two-thread sewing machine for stitching the edges of holes or slits in fabric, including in combination, a work support, a reciprocating eye-pointed upper needle for piercing the work, and a shiftable stock carrying the following elements, an absolutely straight eye-pointed under needle for penetrating the hole or slit in the work, fittings for the straight under needle for giving it a. curved movement such that it enters the Work slit in a substantially normal direction and thereafter intersects the work-plane only at the location of the slit, and at the upper limit of its movement stands at a substantial incline so as to present a loop of underthread directly to the upper needle; and means for actuating said under needle in its curved up-and-down movements whereby the threads are interlocked alternately above and below the work.

19. A machine for stitchingthe edges of holes or slits in fabric including in combination, a work support, a reciprocating eyepointed upper needle for piercing the work, and a shiftable stock carrying the following elements, an eye-pointed under needle for penetrating the hole or slit in the work, said needle being absolutely straight from butt to point, and means for actuating said under needle to reciprocate between one side and the other of the work in a substantially curved movement, such as to bring the under-needle into a substantially inclined position above the work so that it cooperates directly with the upper needle above the work and the thrgads are interlocked alternately above and below the work.

20. A two-thread buttonhole stitching machine including in'combination, a reciprocating under needle absolutely straight from butt to point, an upper needle, a carrier for said under needle having an outer end and carrying said under needle at its opposite end, a device for guiding the needle end of the carrier in up-and-down movements, and a shitting-pivot connection for the outer end of said carrier, the said device and connection constructed to give said straight under needle a curved path from below to above the work, for cooperation at both sides of the work with the upper needle.

21. A two-thread buttonhole stitching machine including in combination, a reciprocating under needle absolutely straight from butt to point, an upper needle, a carrier for said under needle having an outer end and carrying said under needle at its opposite end, a device for guiding the needle end of the carrier in up-and-down movements, said device comprising a follower on the carrier engaging a relatively fixed cam, said cam and a shifting-pivot connection for the outer end of said carrier, the said device and connection constructed to give said straight under needle a curved path from below to above the work, for cooperation at both sides of the work with the upper needle.

In testimony whereof I- aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED A. READ.

Witnesses:

W. G. Bonsvrm'r, J. WARREN NICHOLS. 

